Archive for March, 2011

Latest date for bee arrival is April 15th

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

This always happens. The bees build up according to the weather. If the weather in Georgia is cold or rainy, the bees don’t build up in population as fast as expected.

My supplier is making the run on the 15th of April and will be at the mall at 3AM along with a dozen or so beekeepers. I’ll be there to get my bees.

The supplier still has some bees available for his late may runs, but he won’t be stopping at the mall.

I put this order in last December.

Searching for Bees in March

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

My brother decided to raise bees this year, but a little late. I ordered my bees in January. He is looking for bees all over the place and can’t find any. By the middle of March there are absolutely no bees available around here.

I lost 3/4 of my hives due to the terrible winter we had. Actually, the Martha hive, is still alive, but is so weak that I doubt if she will make it.

I have four hives coming. Two packages due April 8, and two nucs due about May 1.

My brother wants one of my nucs.

March 12 Pollen

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

The hive named Connie was active and the bees were bringing back lots of pollen on March 12. The air temperature was about 50 degrees F. I have no idea where they were finding this stuff. Nothing is blooming here. The trees have buds and they will pop soon, but I don’t know where they were getting the yellow and orange pollen.

Martha, though is doing poorly. I don’t think she will make it. I put the feeder on her last week when it was warm. She has not show any signs of taking the syrup. This Wednesday will be in the 60s so I will take advantage of that to feed Connie.

Bees are coming April 8

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

Due to the weather and a slow build-up of bee population down in Georgia, my two packages of bees will arrive a week later.

Some time around 3 in the morning on April 8, I will pick up two packages of bees. Each package is 3 pounds (about 10,000 bees) and a queen. They will be grouchy from sitting in the back of a truck for 15 hours.

I will install the bees early in the morning on the 8th, as soon as it gets light. I will welcome helpers, but I only have two spare veils. The bees will clump around the queen and are not really in a stinging mood. (Last year I was stung through a glove and one ran up my pants leg and stung me behind the knee.)

This date will probably change again if there is more foul weather down south.

I put in a bee supplies order

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

I received my payment from eBay Partner Network and blew the whole thing on some hive parts at BrushyMountainBeeFarm

I bought a couple of those fancy copper covers. I am getting set to install my new bees, soon.

I bought sugar over the weekend and will start feeding bees when I have time this week. It is time for them to start their Spring build-up.